The Ghosts of Christmas Future
by scifiromance
Summary: Bella is given a glimpse of her future as a Cullen when her doubts about her rapidly approaching new life return to haunt her...


**A/n: Thanks to NikkiB1973 for encouraging me to try writing another Twilight fic, I really appreciate the support, especially since her fics are awesome! :)**

"Are you certain you don't want to eat more my love?" Edward enquired from his place at Bella's right, "You need your strength…"

Bella glanced down at her plate, still overflowing with food. It as if someone kept refilling it when she wasn't looking. She swallowed down the mildly suspicious thought along with her last mouthful of the cloying, sickly sweet sauce every morsel had been drizzled in then met Edward's beseeching golden gaze, "Really Edward, I'm fine. This was all too much; you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble…"

"Nonsense Bella." Esme interrupted sweetly from her chair directly across the table from her, "I don't get much of an opportunity to cook…"

"For obvious reasons." Rosalie muttered drily as she studied her crimson nails, those and the matching low cut dress she wore were the only splashes of colour against her snow white skin.

Emmett gave a short guffaw, but Bella though she felt Carlisle as well as Edward stiffen beside her, a new frost settling on the already chilly dining room which even with the table they all sat at stretching its whole length reminded Bella more of an abandoned ballroom, too large for a small group. Esme though continued as though her 'daughter' hadn't spoken, her voice remaining as smooth as a cruise liner skipping over troublesome waves. "It was an absolute pleasure to have a _reason _to cook again." She laughed warmly, "You being here always transforms this place into a real home Bella."

Edward's charming crooked smile, twisted in displeasure by Rosalie's comment, returned in full force and he raised the crystal glass by his hand, empty of course, ceremoniously. "Well said Esme, thank you."

Alice clapped gleefully, so rapidly that to Bella her hands were merely a blur, and bounced up and down a little in her velvet padded chair as her charismatic laugh tinkled, "Thank _you_ Bella, dinner parties are just such delicious fun aren't they? Especially at Christmas! Not only the food but the decorations too…"

"It's all…stunning Alice." Bella agreed, unable to find another word which could begin to describe the opulence of the Cullen's' home at Christmas time. It was always luxurious, almost unnaturally perfect, like a palace museum but Alice had obviously invested all of her immense levels of energy into turning the whole house and this room in particular into a Christmas winter wonderland. Sparkling silvers and burgundy reds, reminiscent of the Cullens themselves, were everywhere. In the enormous tree and its tinsel and lights, her table setting on the silk white tablecloth, even the upholstery of the room had been changed to suit the new scheme. Then there was the food, two whole birds, a turkey and goose, joints of beef, pork and even venison, then legs of lamb and mutton too. Roast, boiled and mashed potatoes, jugs of every type of sauce Bella had ever seen in her cook books and more. All for her, what had they been thinking? This was obscene! Rather than feeling flattered as she felt every set of those bewitching golden eyes they all shared on her, Bella felt a shudder travel involuntarily up her back. None of them bothered to maintain the pretence of eating around her, the places in front of them were empty, the tablecloth left pristine. They were only here to watch her enjoy what they could not have… Abruptly and unbidden, she was overwhelmed with the memory of Volterra, of the terror stricken men, women and children being led as lambs to a room undoubtedly as awe-inspiring as this one but their ultimate fate would the opposite… Only the loud clang of her silver plated cutlery crashing onto her plate brought Bella back to the present, aware of Edward's hand on hers.

"Isabella love, are you alright?" he asked softly, his flawless face tight with concern.

"I…" Bella's uncertain reply froze on the edge of her lips, the haunting memory suddenly beginning to dissipate from her mind. At first relief flooded her, but something made her catch Jasper's carefully impassive eyes and she was no longer grateful for the enforced calm, her jaw locking as she tensed.

Carlisle decided to intervene, "Esme dear, I think Bella needs something to drink, perhaps a cup of sweet tea? I fear this meal has proven a little too rich for her…"

Bella's hands gripped the fallen cutlery as she felt the soothing fuzziness their velvety voices and assured gazes always gave her descend. "No Carlisle, I can eat a little more…"

"Shouldn't you be going back to Chief Swan?" Rosalie piped up sharply, a frown briefly gracing her beautiful features as she watched the interaction carefully, before she curved her lips into a wicked smile, "After all, this might well be your last Christmas with him if Edward grants your wish."

Edward sprang to his feet, his chair flying backwards, but it was Carlisle, surprisingly irate as he fluidly stood up, his hands clenched commandingly, who spoke first. "Rose, that was uncalled for."

"Was it?" Rosalie replied scathingly, eyebrows arched as she too moved away from the table. It occurred to Bella that perhaps the volatile blonde had purposely been placed at the most distant end of the table.

Edward shot his adoptive sister a vicious glare over Bella's shoulder as she strode off before turning his attention wholly on his declared beloved. "Bella, please do not allow her vile bitterness to upset you…"

Bella shook her head as if to clear it, Rosalie's words had served as ice water pouring over her and her determination to end this Christmas theatre returned. "No Edward, she has a point. I should be heading home now; Charlie will be worried about me."

"Worried? When you're with us?" Edward asked in disbelief, even though Bella knew that he, with his mind-reading abilities, was even more aware than she was of her father's hostility than she herself was. "I thought you told me he was spending the day with the dog and his father…"

Bella felt heat travel up her spine, "Edward, Jacob is no more a dog than you're a leech!" she snapped in warning, but her anger drained away as he stiffened, hurt passing over his face. "Dad will have come home by now, he was upset when I blew him off this morning to come here, that's why he when over to the res…" She explained.

Carlisle placed a hand on his first son's shoulder, "Bella's right Edward, we can't monopolise her. Chief Swan is her family and deserves time with her too." He reasoned.

"Although soon she'll be a Cullen and we really will all be family!" Alice reminded her mentor with a supportive glance towards Edward.

Edward was silent for a second before he carefully took Bella in hand, "Carlisle is right my love. If you want to go home, of course I will take you if that's really what you wish."

Bella felt her shoulders brace, though couldn't pinpoint why. "I do wish Edward. Take me home please."

* * *

"Dad?" Bella called out through the silent house as she stepped inside, almost tripping over Charlie's discarded work boots as she did so. "Dad, are you here?"

Charlie Swan hurried through from the kitchen, "Bells, you're home!" he exclaimed joyfully. Bella smiled back despite hearing the badly disguised relief in his voice as he looked past her out of the window to where the sleek silver Volvo was pulling out of the drive. "I hope the Cullens don't expect you tomorrow too?"

"I don't know Dad…" Bella hedged awkwardly, thinking of Edward's inevitable presence in her bedroom tonight. "How did Billy and Jacob enjoy the turkey I sent over with you?"

"They loved it of course, they always love your cooking Bells." Charlie replied before he looked down at her with a sad seriousness in his eyes, "It would've tasted even better if you'd been there to eat it with us. Jake was pretty cut up when you didn't come…"

Bella felt her chest tighten and tried to relieve it with a sigh. "Yeah." She murmured, her hand moving down to her suddenly churning stomach, "Would you mind if I went to lie down for a while Dad? I think Mrs Cullen's big spread was a little too much for me."

Disappointment flickered over Charlie's face but it was quickly replaced with concern. "Sure Bells, if that's what you feel you need." He ran a hand through his dark hair, "I was hoping we could maybe watch some movies together later or something? I've hardly seen you and it is Christmas, would you humour your old man?"

"I'd enjoy that." Bella agreed warmly, though she was suddenly exhausted and unbearably cold. She surprised Charlie by giving him a light peck on his bristled cheek. "Wake me up in an hour or so and we'll dig out the DVDs okay?"

Charlie smiled at her happily as she headed for the stairs, "Will do, you just rest up for now okay?"

Bella turned to give him a tired nod before trudging the rest of the way up to her room and flopping out on her bed, her eyelids already drooping heavily. This had somehow become a very long day…

* * *

"Bella." A harsh voice muttered, "Bella! Bella Swan!"

Bella jerked awake to find herself still lying on her bed, but with an irate looking blonde girl glaring at her impatiently. "What?" she choked out, springing upright, "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter." The girl declared dismissively, "We need to talk, or rather you need to see something."

"I'm not doing anything you say until you tell me what's going on!" Bella lashed out fearfully.

The girl chuckled in bitter surprise, "Oh, so you do have some fire in you then? You wouldn't do wrong to show some of that to Eddie boy."

"Edward?" Bella forced out, the girl's knowing words making her truly look at her for the first time. She was young, around her age maybe, no older than twenty or so anyway. Her thick pale blonde hair was twisted up behind her head, although a few teasing wisps brushed against her peaches and cream complexion. She was neat, her dress, the faded colour had probably once been yellow or light green, was carefully patched, but her tights had several tears in them and her plain black pumps were scuffed. Something about her made Bella think of Depression era movies, but still there was something familiar about her too… Suddenly, as the girl gave her a distinctly insincere smile, she realised how it was, impossible though it seemed. "Rosalie?"

"In a way." She replied cagily, "This is Rosalie before Carlisle Cullen decided to spare her the ignominy of humanity. Back when she was the bankrupt farmer's daughter, plain little Rose Olson, a factory girl with no prospects, gang-raped in a dank little back street somewhere…" Her face darkened for a moment at the long distant memory before she stared uncompromisingly back at Bella, "Just because my life wasn't great by Dr Cullen's hallowed standards doesn't make being changed any less of a hell, and you rub my fate in my face by _choosing_…"

"Is that what this is about?" Bella whispered, "Are you trying to change my mind? Is this your power, to invade people's dreams?" she demanded angrily.

"You'd like that wouldn't you? Being able to blame someone else for your doubts?" Rosalie replied coldly, "No Bella, this is not my doing, I might even be a figment of your mind. _You _are in control here. You can't deny you're able to have visions, that moment on the mountain with the Quileute boy…"

Bella felt tears come to her eyes, "Don't talk about Jake!"

Something like pity passed over Rosalie Cullen's, or Rose Olson's, face and Bella saw for the first time that her eyes were not that supernatural shade of gold but a perfectly ordinary grey-blue. She was still pretty, still attractive, but lacking the unapproachable, unachievable beauty of Rosalie Cullen or any of that family, she was human. "But we're going to have to talk about him Bella, you're going to have to see him, see yourself, clearly if you're going to escape this."

"Escape what?" Bella cried out, "This dream? I would if you'd just leave…"

Rose shook her head tiredly, sighing to herself. "It would be cliché to show you Christmases past, present and future right?" she mused, "After all, you know more about your lonely days with Renee than I do, and you've just lived through the present today, in that strange limbo you're in between human and vampire…" She trailed off, "No, it's only the future you need to see."

Bella felt a sickening, mind numbing, inexplicable fear begin to consume her, the world around her going black until she could see nothing but Rose's impassive face. "No! I don't want to see, I _can't_…"

"Why not?" Rose challenged, "You'll thank me one day Isabella Marie Swan…" That declaration was distant and echoing, Bella felt a scream being ripped from her throat as the darkness enveloped her completely.

**A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D There's more to come of course! :)**


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